Albanian Language Media:

• Roth: Kosovo, encouraging example for clear commitment to democracy, rule of law (media)

• Sarrazin on Association: EU draft is good, we want you to send it to Constitutional Court (ekonomia)

• Rohde: Berlin Process, very good agreement to work on better solutions (Klan)

• Konjufca: Banjska scenario identical to Russian invasion of Crimea (Dukagjini)

• Former Serbian MP implies Vucic “is the boss” of Banjska armed group (Telegrafi)

• COMKFOR and chief of Army of Serbia talk about security (RTK)

• Serb politician Aleksander Arsenijevic, arrested (Reporteri)

Serbian Language Media:

• Confrontation in Mitrovica: four arrested following whistle-blowing protest (KoSSev)

• Kosovo Interior Minister visits North Mitrovica, unaware of incident outside new Missini locale (KoSSev)

• Serbian List: Kurti and Solak's attack a proof that we have the support of the Serbian people (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)

• Candidate status for EU membership – Kosovo between aspirations and reality (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media 

Roth: Kosovo, encouraging example for clear commitment to democracy, rule of law (media)

Michael Roth, head of the German Bundestag’s Committee for Foreign Affairs, said after meeting Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, that “Kosovo is an encouraging example in the Western Balkans for its clear commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the fight against corruption”. He also argued that “unfortunately, other countries in the Western Balkans are moving away from these EU values. Kosovo deserves more support”.

Sarrazin on Association: EU draft is good, we want you to send it to Constitutional Court (ekonomia)

The German emissary for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, spoke during his visit to Pristina about the issue of the Association of Municipalities with a Serb Majority. He has said that the authorities in Kosovo lack the political will to establish it, especially at a time when Kosovo is on the verge of new parliamentary elections "You have a draft that was drafted by the EU and partners and your friends, and it is a good draft. We want you to take this draft. I think you can do it, regardless if the policy changes or not, but in the end it leads you to the Council of Europe, if you send it to your Constitutional Court", said Sarrazin.

"In the world, things change and if you lose momentum, then don't complain later that things changed. Decan came late. I'm pretty sure. This is not the official position of the German government. If this had been done half a year ago, you would be in the Council of Europe today. It's late. It was very clear. This is life. Do things in time to be recognized, otherwise things may change," Sarrazin said 

Rohde: Berlin Process, very good agreement to work on better solutions (Klan)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said on Wednesday that the second German-Kosovar Economic Forum aims at furthering economic relations between Germany and Kosovo and create new opportunities for cooperation. He also said that the Berlin Process is a very good agreement to work on better solutions. “The second forum will proceed with more success stories. The Berlin Process is a very good agreement to work on better solutions. We have understanding for businesses in every corner of the world and we will work together in order to grow together,” he said.

Konjufca: Banjska scenario identical to Russian invasion of Crimea (Dukagjini)

Kosovo Assembly President Glauk Konjufca said on Wednesday that the attack in Banjska in the north of Kosovo last year and the scenario for the event was identical to the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014. Addressing a conference on “The impact of Russian aggression in Ukraine on European geopolitics”, Konjufca said that “Russia has not given up on the Russian World and Serbia has not given up on the Serbian World”.

According to Konjufca, the efforts for instability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the refusal to normalise relations with Kosovo and the attack in Banjska show “the true intentions of Serbia”.

Former Serbian MP implies Vucic “is the boss” of Banjska armed group (Telegrafi)

Dragan Sormaz, former member of the Serbian Parliament, said in his address at a security conference in Pristina, that Kosovo does not face a threat from a military action by Serbia. 

Shormaz argued that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic “functions as a businessman and not as a politician” and that this affects his political decisions. 

Commenting on the attack in Banjska in September last year, Shormaz asked: “how can Vucic arrest the Banjska terrorists when he is their boss?”

COMKFOR and chief of Army of Serbia talk about security (RTK)

The commander of KFOR, Ozkan Ulutas, met on Wednesday in Belgrade, the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Serbia, Milan Mojsilovic. KFOR announced that Major General Ulutas and General Mojsilovic shared views on the security situation in the entire region and gave an overview of their cooperation activities. "They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open communication and dialogue, as this is the key to consolidating regional stability", KFOR announced.

Serb politician Aleksander Arsenijevic, arrested (Reporteri)

Serb politician Aleksander Arsenijevic was arrested on Wednesday in the north of Mitrovica along with three other people. The deputy police director for the northern region, Veton Elshani, announced that the reason for their arrest is related to the disruption of public order and peace.

Serbian Language Media 

Confrontation in Mitrovica: four arrested following whistle-blowing protest (KoSSev)

In a charged atmosphere in North Mitrovica, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, leader of the Serbian Democracy Party, was briefly detained once again by Kosovo police yesterday for blowing a whistle in protest on the Mitrovica promenade. Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the Kosovo police for the North region, confirmed that along with Arsenijevic, three others were detained for “disturbing public order” — one Serb and two ethnic Albanians — the latter of whom allegedly attempted to physically confront Arsenijevic in response to his demonstration.

Arsenijevic was taken into custody while protesting by blowing a whistle outside the newly opened Missini restaurant. The establishment was hosting a local official at the time, prompting Arsenijevic to express his discontent. The situation escalated when at least two Albanians, reportedly guests at the restaurant, physically tried to confront him. This confrontation led to the arrest of both the Albanians involved and another Serbian man who was nearby.

According to the police, all four individuals were detained for “disturbing public order.” In a media statement after his release, Arsenijevic questioned the conditions of his detainment and raised concerns about his ability to move freely in his own city.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2pk6mcz8

Kosovo Interior Minister visits North Mitrovica, unaware of incident outside new Missini locale (KoSSev)

Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, made a visit to the newly opened Missini establishment in North Mitrovica yesterday, accompanied by heavy security. The visit, however, was marked by an earlier incident involving guests of the same locale, an event that the minister appeared to be unaware of.

When questioned by our reporter about the purpose of his visit, Svecla replied with an air of deflection: “Have I ever asked why you are here?”

The minister, accompanied by Veton Elshani, deputy commander of Kosovo police for the northern region, and Local Government Minister Elbert Krasniqi, had already visited two facilities that used to house Serbian institutions – the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the District building, which have been recently taken over by Kosovo Interior Ministry. As has been typical with these visits, the media had not been informed beforehand.

However, between these official stops, a disturbance occurred in front of Missini, leading to the arrest of four individuals—two Serbs and two Albanians. The incident was reportedly sparked when Aleksandar Arsenijevic, leader of the Serbian Democracy party, staged a protest outside the locale by blowing a whistle, an action that prompted a response from two Albanians, guests at Missini, who allegedly attacked him. All parties involved were briefly detained but later released.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/c57nk9xb

Serbian List: Kurti and Solak's attack a proof that we have the support of the Serbian people (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)

The Serbian List said that as long as the opposition in Serbia and the authorities in Kosovo attack it, it will be the biggest proof that it has the support of the Serbian people and that it works in the interest of its people in difficult times, reported Kosovo Online, citing the statement. 

"While Solak, his co-workers Djilas and Albin Kurti are doing everything to reduce the number of Serbs in Kosovo, Serbian List,  with the full support of President Aleksandar Vucic, the Government of Serbia and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, managed to secure hundreds of jobs, as well as the latest package of financial aid for 5,000 unemployed, for all preschool, elementary and high school students, which is more than 23,000 people who will have additional support from their state of Serbia," stated the Serbian List.

As stated, among other things, this is one of the concrete results of the work of the Serbian List, reported Kosovo Online.

Candidate status for EU membership – Kosovo between aspirations and reality (Kosovo Online)

In terms of EU integration, Kosovo has formally remained at the same point it was two years ago when it applied for full membership in the European Union. Although Kosovo government officials, particularly in recent weeks, have claimed that many reforms have been completed and that the necessary criteria for Kosovo to be granted candidate status have been met, analysts interviewed by Kosovo Online do not believe this will happen in the foreseeable future.

Before deciding whether to grant someone candidate status for EU membership, it is necessary to complete a European Commission questionnaire, which can include up to 4,000 questions regarding the fulfilment of political and economic criteria, the level of alignment with EU legislation, the ability to implement European standards, and more. However, this questionnaire has not yet been sent to Pristina.

For instance, comparing Kosovo's progress to that of Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo is already significantly behind. Montenegro submitted its application for EU membership in December 2008, and by July 2009, it had received a European Commission questionnaire with 2,178 questions, although the number doubled when sub-questions were included. Bosnia and Herzegovina received its questionnaire (with 3,242 questions) ten months after submitting its membership application in February 2016.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3xcsww4y